Method of picking poultry



Oct. 13, 1959 R. s. ZEBARTH 2,908,033

mamon 0F pxcxmc POULTRY Original Filed Feb. 23, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. R64; 5. Zebarf/z BY w Arron/E Oct. 13, 1959 R. s. ZEBARTH man-10o 0F PICKING POULTRY Original Filed Feb. 23, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. @840/1 5. Zebarfh ATTOKNE Oct. 13, 1959 R. s. ZEBARTH 2,908,033

METHOD OF PICKING POULTRY Original Filed Feb. 2:5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. R 09/ 5 Zzbar //7 R BY Oct. 13, 1959 R. s. ZEBARTH METHOD OF PICKING POULTRY Original Filed Feb. 23, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HVVENTOR.

Ea/a/r .5. Mar/ The reels 10 and 12 are operably supported for rotation on the longitudinal axes of the shafts 14 thereof and such supporting structure includes four standards 36, 38, 40 and 42 provided with nonrotatable, vertically reciprocable sleeves 36a, 38a, 40a and 42a.

The sleeves 36a and 38a are rigidly interconnected by a pair of spaced, elongated, parallel members 44 and 46 and the sleeves 40a and 42a are likewise joined by similar members 48 and 50. The four members 44, 46, 48 and 50 carry a pair of picking assemblies, broadly designated by the numerals 52 and 54 for movement toward and away from each other, the reel 10 being car ried by the assembly 52 and the reel 12 being operably mounted on the assembly 54.

The assemblies 52 and 54 include hollow housings 52a and 54a respectively, each mounted on suitable framework as is clear in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The forwardmost and lowermost end of the housing 52a is rigidly secured to a pair of collars 56 and 58 slidable horizontally on members 44 and 46 respectively. The rearmost and highest end of the housing 52a is similarly supported by the members 48 and 50 through utilization of a pair of collars 60 and 62 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The housing 54a is similarly mounted on the members 44 and 46 slidable collars 64 and 66 respectively, and although not illustrated in the drawings, the rearmost end of the housing 54 is mounted on the members 48 and 50 through use of collars similar to the collars 60 and 62.

Each of the members 44 and 48 is provided with manually operable structure for shifting the collars on the members which join the sleeves, to not only increase or decrease the distance between the reels 10 and 12, but to vary the relative angularity of the axes of rotation thereof. One of such structures, namely, that associated with the member 44, is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings and includes a setscrew block 68 rigidly secured to the member 44 midway of the ends thereof carrying a plate 70 thereabove for rotation on a vertical axis. Rods 72 and 74 pivotally interconnect the plate 70 with the collars 56 and 64 respectively. Upstanding ears 76 on the plate 70 receive a rod 78 that is in turn utilized to rotate the plate 70 on its vertical axis and thereby exert a push-pull action to the rods 72 and 74 which in turn causes the collars 56 and 64 to reciprocate toward and away from each other on the member 44.

When the distance between the reels 10 and 12 has been determined, and the angularity between the axes of rotation thereof properly set, the assemblies 52 and 54 are held against relative movement toward or away from each other by tightening of setscrews 80 that engage the member 44 as illustrated in Fig. of the drawings. Similar releasable clamping means may be provided to engage the member 48.

Bearings 82 and 84 on the assemblies 52 and 54 rotatably receive the shafts 14 of reels and 12 respectively at the lowermost ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Similar bearings (not shown) are provided for the shafts 14 at the uppermost ends of the reels 10 and 12, disposing the shafts 14 and, therefore, substantially half of the reels 10 and 12 outside the housings 52a and 54a respectively. It may be desirable that reels 10 and 12 be driven separately, the drive for reel 12 contained within the housing 54a at the uppermost end thereof being illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

A prime mover, such as a variable speed electric motor 86, is operably coupled with the idler shaft 88 by belt and pulley means broadly designated by the numeral 90. Shaft 88, inclined in parallelism with the shaft 14 of reel 12, is in turn operably coupled with the reel 12 by belt and pulley means broadly designated by the numeral 92.

During operation of the machine it is to be preferred that the poultry be advanced therethrough between the reels 10 and 12 along a rectilinear, horizontal path of travel, and one means of so advancing the poultry is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It includes an overhead conveyor, broadly designated by the numeral 94 from which is suspended a plurality of shackles 96 through the medium of flexible supports preferably in the nature of chains 98. In order to confine the removed feathers within the machine, the assemblies 52 and 54 are provided with upstanding shields 100 over which is disposed a hood 1'02 that may be separate from the shields 100 and suitably carried by overhead track 104 forming a part of the conveyor 94.

The assemblies 52 and 54 may be raised and lowered with respect to the hood 102 and the conveyor 94 and the angle of inclination of the reels 10 and 12 may be varied by reciprocating the sleeves 36a, 38a, 40a and 42a on their standards. The sleeves 36a and 38a are raised and lowered simultaneously and the operating structure therefor includes a chain 106 rigidly secured at one end thereof to the uppermost end of standard 38 whence it passes around a pulley 108 rotatably mounted on the sleeve 38a. The chain 106 extends across the front of the machine and around a second pulley 110 rotatably carried by the sleeve 36a. The opposite end of the chain 106 is rigidly secured to the standard 36 at its lowermost end.

Winch means including a drum 112 is mounted directly upon the uppermost end of the standard 36 and is operably connected with a chain 114 depending therefrom and attached directly to the sleeve 36a. A11 operating handle 116 for the drum 112 is coupled therewith through suitable gear reduction means 118.

Identical structure shown in part by Fig. 2, is provided for raising and lowering the opposite end of the machine and includes a chain 106a joined at one end thereof to the lowermost end of the standard 40, passing over a pulley 110a on the sleeve 40a, thence around another pulley (not shown) comparable to pulley 108 and mounted on the sleeve 42a and thence upwardly to a point of connection with the uppermost end of the standard 42. A second chain 114a interconnects sleeve 40a with a Winch drum 112a, the latter of which is driven through gear reduction means 118a by a handle 116a.

The birds may be first suspended from the shackles 96 by their legs and directed through the picking machine, preferably but not necessarily, from the lowermost ends of the reels 10 and 12 to the uppermost ends thereof. When the motors 86 are energized to rotate the reels 10 and 12 in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 3 of the drawings, preferably at the same speed, all of the fingers 22 will extend radially outwardly from the axes of rotation of the reels by virtue of the flexibility of the fingers 22 and a combined downward slapping and wiping action will be imparted to the feathers to pull the same loose from the birds. Such pulling action is enhanced by the roughened condition of all of the fingers 22 by virtue of the provision of ribs 28 thereon.

As the birds are advanced substantially horizontally at a predetermined normally constant speed, the head, neck and lower parts of the wings will first be subjected to the action of the relatively heavy fingers 22a of the groups 30 thereof, and all of the feathers of the neck and lower parts of the Wings Will be removed. The birds then progress to a point between the fingers 22b of the median group 32 and these lighter fingers 22b will act upon the body of the bird to remove the feathers therefrom. Difierent parts of the poultry are successively subjected to the various groups of fingers by virtue of the fact that the birds move horizontally, Whereas the axes of rotation of the reels 10 and 12 are inclined upwardly as the outlet end of the machine is approached.

After the feathers have been removed from the body of the bird by the fingers 22b within the median group 32, the uppermost portion of the body and the legs of the 5, V poultry are subjected to the action of the relatively lightweight fingers 22c contained in the groups 34 of the reels 10'andl12'; i

The birds are then reversed on shackles 96 to hang" by theirnecks v v When the poultryisuhereuponadvanced through a second picking machine ofthe typehereinabove described, the books will be acted: uponby the heavy fingers. 22a of group 30. I I U in p I The method just above mentioned is clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings showing a pair of machines as above described arranged in tandem but spaced relationship. Assuming that the birds travel in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8, it will be seen that the birds hanging by their legs from shackles 96, will be subjected to the first machine, whereupon an operator, as illustrated, may reverse the birds on the shackles 96 so as to hang them by their necks from the shackles 96. The birds will thereupon pass through the second machine with their legs down. Manifestly, this arrangement may be varied as desired or as may be required so that the birds travel through a plurality of machines with their necks down and then a number of machines with their legs down.

Still further, the conveyor arrangement may be such as to pass the birds a number of times through a single machine.

Inasmuch as the preferred conveyor means 94 chosen for illustration is rigidly mounted so that the birds are always advanced along a horizontal line that is not adjustable as to height, it becomes necessary to raise and lower the reels 10 and 12 so that the fingers 22 will properly act upon the feathers thereof as above described for birds of various sizes. It is but necessary to manipulate the handles 116 and 116a to accomplish this purpose. During such adjustment the operator may assure himself that the various parts of the birds will be acted upon in succession as above outlined by varying the angles of 'slope of the reels 10 and 12 and it is for this reason that structure is provided to raise and lower each end of the machine independently of the other. It may be pointed out that a sufficiently loose fit is provided between the sleeves and the standards upon which the same are slidably mounted so as to permit variance of the slope of the reels 10 and 12 without unduly tipping the standards from their normally vertical positions.

Difierences in sizes of poultry to be handled through use of the feather-picking machine of this invention requires variance of the distance between the reels 10 and 12 and this is accomplished by manipulation of the structure on members 44 and 48, one of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. After loosening of the fasteners 80 the rods 78 may be manipulated to move the assemblies 52 and 54 toward and away from each other and to vary the angularity therebetween.

The machine may be used with the axes of rotation of the reels 10 and 12 in parallelism or at any angle desired, and to this end, it is pointed out that the fit between the members 44, 46, 48 and 50, and the collars slidable thereon, is sufliciently loose to permit the distance between the assemblies 52 and 54 at one end thereof to be greater than the distance therebetween at their opposite ends.

Many factors are dependent upon the nature and size of the bird being de-feathered. This may well determine the distance between the reels and their relative angularity. For best results however, some overlapping of the fingers should be provided at both ends of the machine when adjusting the assemblies 52 and 54 toward and away from each other.

The speed of advance of the poultry, their distances apart and the sizes of the birds determines also the speed of rotation of the reels. Height is dependent on the length of the poultry and which part of the feathered areas are to be subjected to particular fingers. In a line operating at 1500 birds an hour, reel speeds of approximately 345 61 rpm. have: been-satisfactory for most picking condition-s. Having-thus described the. invention, what is claimed asnew and-desired: to. be secured by Letters; Patent is:

12-. The method of. removing feathers. from a bird which comprises holding. the bird, against downward movemeattsubieetihg the head. neck and outermost ends of: thewing Qfithebird to a downward slapping action of relatively f great; force; subjecting the. body of the bird: to a downward slapping action f. s f e; and s b e the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of rela-' tively light force, whereby to wipe all the feathers from the bird, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the feather removing operation.

2. The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises holding the bird against downward movement and continuously advancing it along a horizontal path of travel, and while the bird is held and advanced, subjecting the head, neck and outermost ends of the wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force; subjecting the body of the bird to a downward slapping action of lesser force; and subjecting the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively light force, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the feather-removing operation.

3. The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises suspending the bird by its legs and continuously advancing it along a predetermined path of travel, and While the bird is suspended and advanced, subjecting the head, neck and outermost ends of the wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force; subjecting the body of the bird to a downward slapping action of lesser force; and subjecting the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively light force, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the feather-removing operation.

4. The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises holding the bird against downward movement; subjecting the head, neck and outermost ends of the Wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force until substantially all of the feathers are removed from said head, neck and ends of the wings; subjecting the body of the bird to a downward slapping action of lesser force until substantially all of the feathers are removed from said body; and subjecting the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively light force until substantially all of the feathers are removed from said legs, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the feather-removing operation.

5. The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises holding the bird against downward movement and thereupon, first subjecting the head, neck' and outermost ends of the wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force for a predetermined period of time, then subjecting the body of the bird to a downward slapping action of lesser force for a predetermined period of time; and finally subjecting the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively light force for a predetermined period of time, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the featherreinov ng oper ion.

6, The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises holding the bird against downward movement; subjecting the head, neck and outermost ends of the wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force; subjecting the body of the bird to a downward slapping action of lesser force; and subjecting the legs of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively light force, the nature of the slapping action being the same throughout the feather-removing operation and being directed to the bird on opposite sides thereof, 9

7. The method of removing feathers from a bird which comprises suspending the bird by its legs and while so suspended subjecting the head, neck and outermost ends of the wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of relatively great force; subjecting the body of the bird to 7 8 a downward slapping action of lesser force; subjecting References Cited in the file of this patent the legs1 of tlhe jbird to a downwarg slljlpgirig action (11f UNITED STATES PATENTS relative lig t' orce; sus ending t e ir y its nec and while so suspended, sfibjecting the books of the bird 2422608 Albnght June 1947 to a downward slapping action of said relatively great 5 1 2: '"'"7 3 force; subjecting the body of the bird to a downward 2641:796 g gg fi 1953 slapping action of said lesser force; and subjecting the neck and wings of the bird to a downward slapping action of OTHER REFERENCES said lesser force, the nature of the slapping action being Kent Dualamatic Body, Wing and Neck Pickers, the same throughout the feather-removing operation. 10 Kent Equipment Company, pp. 3 and 4. 

